


(secrets of an) opaque romance

by SapphireBlueJiyuu



Category: BLACKPINK (Band), EXO (Band)
Genre: Arranged Marriage!AU-ish, F/M, Romance, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:34:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22029397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SapphireBlueJiyuu/pseuds/SapphireBlueJiyuu
Summary: Back by popular demand, MBC brought back “We Got Married” for its 5th season and it looks like the K-pop world was going to get turned on its head when BlackPink’s Lead Dancer gets paired with EXO’s Legendary Main Vocalist. Between award shows, drama shoots, TV show tapings, dance practices, album promotions, and potential fan riots, these two mega stars will have to juggle their demanding careers and a burgeoning relationship - even of the artificial variety.
Relationships: Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Lalisa Manoban | Lisa
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	1. Episode #1 - It’s a Pleasure to Formally Meet You

**Author's Note:**

> this is all the result of seeing a fancam of my two biases sharing screen time on stage next to each other at an award show. it honestly lasted all of 80 seconds, but it was EVERYTHING to me. i take no blame in this creation - it had to be done. #sorrynotsorry

  


It was well into June but the weather had been very windy the last few days, as if a storm was about to roll in, so she had grabbed her grey crop top hoodie jacket before leaving her shared living space with the rest of the members. She was dressed rather casually for a meeting of this caliber but after the 20th outfit change and an abundance of whining, Rosé finally kicked her out of her bedroom amid protests from the other _maknae_. 

The instructions had said that there would be some walking involved and walking at the beach or the park in heels and a fancy skirt would hardly be appropriate. But then again, it might not have been. It was so hard to gauge whether she was over thinking this whole ordeal or if maybe she wasn’t caring enough as she caught her reflection in the van’s glossy exterior. A white graphic tee tied in the back into a bun, Rosé’s favorite pair of super high-waisted jean shorts and a pair of suede high-top wedge sneakers (albeit a cute pair) may seem understated but that was kind of the point: she wanted to exude the illusion of comfort - even if she didn’t feel it one bit. Her heart was beating so hard in her chest, she was sure it was going to break out of its ribbed cage and run in the opposite direction of the trendy little cafe she was supposed to be meeting him at. 

“ _Him_ ,” she groaned and whined to herself, “Why did I agree to this...?”

Despite her manager driving at a normal speed, she was sure he was racing down the streets of Seoul, if not just to make sure she doesn’t jump ship mid-trip. 

The look on her face was not encouraging. 

“Why, Manager-ssi! Why did we agree to do this again?” she whined, sticking out her bottom lip before she began to gnaw at it anxiously. “Ah ya!! I don’t want to do this anymore! Can we please just go back home? Please?” 

She was being childish but it can’t be helped. She has never had any romantic relationship experience before in her 24 years on this planet. Sure, there were puppy love and teenage crushes but anything beyond that was in the realm of fiction - concepts only seen on screen and listened to on the radio from afar. 

Without that distinct barrier in-between her and the very real idea that she was going to have to be acting as if she was in love with a complete stranger was threatening to bring her meager breakfast back up.

Before she could contemplate if rolling out of a moving vehicle was truly a viable option, the van was put into “park” and she peeked out to see that they had in fact arrived at their destination. Without a second thought, she pulled out her phone from her purse and saw a message from the three other girls.

> **Jisooie** : _Don’t be nervous! It’s going to be fine. Just think of it as practice for your upcoming drama!_
> 
> **Rosie** : _Hey!! Good luck, sis! Just be yourself - he’s gonna love you!_
> 
> **Jennie** _: More like he doesn’t have a choice! The poor guy..._
> 
> **Jennie** : _Did Chaeyoung actually tell you to just be yourself? *eye roll emoji* Don’t be yourself! You want to actually make a good first impression, right? Besides, this is nothing compared to the grueling weeks you spent at an actual boot-camp! This. Is. Nothing._

In spite of the harshness of the last three words, it was just what she needed to hear in order to call upon her stage persona. She felt the insecure, anxious, and vulnerable girl disappear deep into her heart and brought forth the sweet, confident, and charming woman who had commanded the undivided attention of thousands of screaming fans with ease and poise. She smiled at the messages one last time and took a deep breath before she thanked her manager and exited the van. She tried not to look at the camera crew that were in her periphery and instead focused on making her long legs walk the last few steps to the door. 

* * *

The moment she stepped into the cafe, he looked up at her and felt his heart stutter. He hadn’t been told ahead of time who " _She_ ” was going to be, but he knew it was her the moment they locked eyes. What were the chances that another celebrity would walk into the same cafe while the WGM crew filmed their initial episode of the new season? 

He watched her perfectly painted coral lips stretch into a small but confident smile and knew he was in trouble. Stamping down the panic that threatened to claw up his throat, he slid from the red vinyl booth and unconsciously licked his suddenly dry lips, hoping the cameras didn’t catch him wiping his hands on his jeans. 

“Good morning,” she said sweetly, bowing in respect before smoothly continuing, “I’m Blackpink’s Lisa. It’s so nice to meet you.” Her delivery had sounded so genuine and natural, it almost didn’t come off scripted. 

Bowing slightly in return, he hoped his smile didn’t look like a grimace. “Good morning, I’m EXO’s Do Kyungsoo. It’s a pleasure to formally meet you.” 

Lisa gave a breathy giggle and nodded, “That’s true. We have met in the past, haven’t we? But only in passing.” She looked over at the table and saw a familiar looking brown envelope. “Have you been waiting long?”

Kyungsoo shook his head in reply, “No, I only just got here myself.”

He watched as she gave a small sigh of relief, “Oh good.” She took her purse from her shoulder and placed it on the booth opposite from his before admitting with a stage-whisper, “I have the tendency to run late.” 

“Don’t worry. You’re fine.” Kyungsoo reassured her with a soft smile before gesturing to the envelope. “Did you receive one too?”

Lisa smiled, her eyes twinkled as she pulled an identical one out from her bag. “Yes, I did.”

“Have you read it yet?” 

“Yes. Did yours have puzzle pieces too?” Kyungsoo tried not to focus on the fact that she smelled faintly of fresh strawberries and sunshine after a rainstorm and instead took in her expectant expression. He simply nodded as he pulled out his set from the envelope. 

“Welcome,” came the voice of their waitress, “Could I take your order?”

Kyungsoo turned to the woman across from him, realizing that she wouldn’t know what she wanted just yet and was about to tell the waitress to come back in a few minutes but Lisa beat him to the punch. “Ah! I- uhm... do you know what you’ll have? I can make a decision by the time you order yours.” She insisted.

He tried to gauge whether she was truly going to be ready seconds after he told the waitress that he’ll have an iced Americano but decided to not push the issue. 

As it turns out, she was ready - an iced vanilla latte for her. 

Once their orders were placed, they both turned their attention back to the puzzle pieces that were now scattered across the lacquered wooden table. Kyungsoo started to gather all the corner pieces and noticed that Lisa had begun picking out all the pieces with text printed on them. He wasn’t sure if that was because she noticed that he was working on one part of the puzzle and decided to tackle the other or if she simply didn’t want to work with him on the same part. 

He chanced a look at her and ended up looking straight into her questioning soft brown eyes. They both broke eye contact immediately and looked back down at the pieces in front of them. He felt his heart rate quicken when their orders arrived.

They both thanked the waitress at the same time, adamant about focusing on anything other than their partner. “Uhm...” she began. “Would you mind if I sat next to you to finish the puzzle?”

Kyungsoo raised his large round eyes to see that she had finished her text portion of the puzzle. “Oh... no, I wouldn’t mind.” He scooted over to make room for her.

Lisa let out a minute puff of relief, her face split into a shy smile before she switched sides and slid into the booth next to him. Up close, her sweet scent was even more potent and he unconsciously inhaled a lungful of it before scolding himself for being a creep. 

Thank all of the entities in the heavens that she didn’t seem to notice. Looking down, Kyungsoo saw that she had added her portion of the simple jigsaw puzzle to his completed corners before tacking on the bottom portion which spelled out an address. 

“We’ll probably have to go to this address. I wonder how far it is from here...” she murmured aloud. 

“Well, it’s on the same street as this cafe. Most likely it’s close by.” Kyungsoo surmised. 

Lisa had already brought out her mobile phone out and was looking up the address. Sure enough, it was about a 15 minute walk from the cafe. 

Without anything to occupy their hands now, they both turned their attention to their neglected drinks. Lisa made no attempt to return to her side of the booth and Kyungsoo wasn’t sure how it could make him nervous and happy at the same time. 

“So... how’s... work?” She weakly attempted. 

Kyungsoo smiled gratefully at her. “It’s been... hectic.”

There was another awkward beat before he turned the question back on her, “And you?”

Lisa nodded, “Same. Busy, busy, busy.”

Silence once again permeated the table before Lisa whispered, “Did you ever think this was where you would end up?”

He turned his head towards her questioningly, hoping she would elaborate. Sensing his gaze, Lisa turned before shyly tucking her hair behind her ear and chuckled nervously, “You know, meeting your “wife”,” making sure to put up air quotes to punctuate her point, “for the first time in a random cafe amidst a full camera crew?”

Kyungsoo laughed at her candidness. He bluntly replied in turn, “To be honest, I thought I had dodged a bullet when the show hadn’t been picked up for a new season. The show was making the rounds to the younger groups in the last season and it felt a bit like the Reaping during the _Hunger Games_.”

Lisa’s eyes grew to the size of saucers. “It did, didn’t it?!” she agreed enthusiastically. 

They both laughed, not knowing if it was the nicest thing to say about the current show they were on. Lisa swooped in for the save though, “I’m sure this will be a fun experience though.” she insisted, “At the very least, I would really like for us to be friends. I want you to feel like you can come to me for anything.”

Kyungsoo tried to cover his shyness that was about to overtake him with a chuckle. “I would like that - and please know that you can count on and come to me as well.”

Lisa smiled and nodded sharply her acceptance of his polite offer. 

They finished their drinks and made their way towards the address that was printed on the now completed puzzle. They walked side by side, the wind picking up slightly as they crossed the street. Kyungsoo was just thinking to himself that it was such a nice day out, when her voice filtered through his thoughts. 

“If you weren’t here right now, what would you be doing?” 

Her question seemed innocent enough but Kyungsoo could hear a wistfulness in her voice. Sure enough, when he turned to her questioningly, Lisa gave a small rueful smile, “It’s just... I can’t remember the last time I just took a casual walk outside... with a man who wasn’t my manager.”

Kyungsoo had to agree. He too had been going nonstop since they had debuted and had only had time to slow down when he had enlisted for the military. Despite missing out on so many amazing things that the group managed to accomplish without him, he felt it was a much needed break from it all. Dating wasn’t even in the picture - fictional or otherwise. 

Deciding to not go down that mental route, he focused on her answering her question instead. “Hmm, well today being Monday, I would probably be at a meeting to go over the schedule for the week. After that, would be to the dance studio to practice the new routines and then probably go to the recording stu...” half way through his answer, Kyungsoo noticed that Lisa had disappeared from next to him. His eyes scanned the sidewalk lined with pretty shops and eventually settled on her two stores behind him and the camera crew. She was bent over a stroller, the mother thanking her for something as the female idol smiled at her before waving to the little boy. 

As Kyungsoo approached her, she turned to him with a slightly mortified look on her face. “I’m so sorry for walking away while you were talking! It’s just that, that little boy’s blankie blew out of the stroller and the mom didn’t noticed and he was reaching for it, and she was pushing the stroller away from the blankie and I - ”

Kyungsoo shook his head, waving off her apology before softly chuckling, “That was very kind of you.”

Her cheeks flushed a pretty pink, but whether from the compliment or her apology, he wasn’t sure. “Anyone would have done it,” she replied assuredly.

He stared at her, baffled by how effortless her humble yet diplomatic answer came out. Will she constantly be surprising him like this? 

He stole a quick glance at the film crew and for a split second wondered if that mother had been planted - staged to make sure Lisa would have to help her, and in turn make his heart ache uncomfortably. The thought annoyed him (just the very fact that it did in the first place, bothered him even more!) but he kept it hidden behind a placid look as he simply repeated his answer to her as they continued walking.

* * *

He was mad. He brushed it off casually because the cameras were present but she could tell in the way his eyes narrowed and it made her want to kick herself for not having any semblance of restraint. She knew that he was being polite enough answer the question that _she_ had posed but she just _had_ to go off and -

Lisa mentally shook herself. ‘ _Focus, dang it! He’s answering your question again and you’re about to check out on a self deprecating rant! You can beat yourself up later, just pay attention to what he’s saying!_ ’ 

To her horror, the moment she began to listen intently, he had stopped talking again. Lisa tried to swallow the panic that was going to take over with a strangled, “Ah~”

He turned to her incredulously, a raised eyebrow accompanying a low chuckle, “That was so late. Are you even paying attention?”

Lisa burst out in nervous laughter and covered her face in utter mortification. “I am - that is - I’m trying to! I’m so sorry. Once more, please! Once more!” she begged cutely. 

His ears turned slightly pink at the look on her face and Lisa found her heart racing at how incredibly adorable he looked. Kyungsoo cleared his throat before he repeated himself for the third time and then looked at her expectantly. She smoothly replied with a follow up question about whether EXO was working on a new album, proving to him that she had in fact listened that time around. 

The conversation continued without incident as they approached their destination, which turned out to be a small jewelry boutique. It was one of those ethical, fair trade businesses that promote sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to and securing the rights of marginalized producers and workers. It was a trend that was making quite an impact and Lisa’s eyes began to twinkle in excitement as she saw that some of the jewelry on display were made with “eco diamonds” (the perfect, guilt-free alternative to mined diamonds). 

The young sales representative behind the counter greeted them before handing Kyungsoo a familiar brown letter envelope. He pulled it open and read aloud that their challenge for the day was to pick out their rings and post a picture of it to social media with the #mbcwegotmarried. 

Lisa swallowed down her nerves as she snuck a glance at him and saw a serious, pensive look grace his otherwise handsome features. She had seen trailers for his movies play on the silver screen before a movie that she and girls would go to watch on their rare days off and even seen him at award shows before but in all the chaos and the strobe lights and confetti bombs, she had never gotten the pleasure of actually admiring just how handsome he was. In fact, handsome was a slight understatement for the legendary singer/actor. His beautifully tanned skin, his large, round eyes, his perfectly heart-shaped, full lips - Lisa could admit wholeheartedly that the man was gorgeous. 

He turned to her then and she plastered a smile to welcome his slightly worried expression. “This might be a problem,” he began, “I don’t have any social media accounts.”

Lisa’s eyes widened. “... Really? Not even one?”

He shook his head.

‘ _Wow… he’s really living that unplugged life._ ’ She thought to herself before bravely asking, “Why? Don’t you want to post stuff and get followers and maximize the exposure of your works?”

Kyungsoo simply shrugged before saying, “I guess I just can’t be bothered,” as though this was the most normal thing in the world. Lisa wasn’t sure if it was the nonchalant way he had said it or if it was simply because the man seemed so unbothered by the fact that he was not “up with the times” but, either way, she found the quality to be quite charming. It made her want to see what else she could find out about him - to peel back the layers and see what it would reveal about her “husband”. 

The thought of that term brought her attention back to the task at hand and she gave him a reassuring smile, “Don’t worry about that. I can post it for us.”

He gave a slight chuckle before muttering, “In that case, I’ll be counting on you then.”

“Mm!” She replied happily and turned her attention to the display case. 

There were dozens upon dozens of rings to choose from - gold bands, silver bands, platinum bands with colorful stones, bands with sparkly stones encrusted all around, gaudy bands with multiple metals and stones adorning them. As fun as that last one looked, Lisa thought one stood out in particular to her. 

“Could I see that one please?” she asked the saleswoman. 

The woman pulled out a trillion cut ring with a rose gold band. It was a simple ring, no embellishments or stones that outline the solitary diamond that was set into it but it was nice. Much like the man next to her, the ring was pretty in an understated way.

The saleswoman then handed Kyungsoo its pair: a sterling silver band with a ‘V’ shaped indentation. Lisa watched him carefully, curious to see what he thought of the simple band when he held out his hand to her in silent permission to see the ring she was holding. He took the rose gold band from her, her skin tingled where their fingertips had touched in the exchange, and carefully stacked them atop each other in his palm. The two bands had fit perfectly together.

“Like two pieces of a puzzle.” he murmured lowly, his deep voice sending chills down her spine. Kyungsoo nodded once and then turned back to the saleswoman and said, “These will do.”

“Really? Are you sure?” Lisa asked. 

He turned to her, his head tilted in question, “Did you not want that one?” 

“Well, yes, but isn’t there one that you would prefer?” 

Kyungsoo shook his head. “No,” the beginnings of a smirk formed before he continued, “Besides, this one is on message.”


	2. Episode #2 - First Impressions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I remember thinking when I posted episode 1, that there would be absolutely no one who would actually be interested in read this. Thank you so much for the likes and follows! You cannot imagine how much every single one of those mean to me. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Please continue to follow Kyungsoo and Lisa’s journey through this story. I hope that it doesn’t disappoint! ♡
> 
> For those who are curious as to what their rings look like, [here's a screencap of their Insta post. :)](https://66.media.tumblr.com/844d48d6c80772f86a7cf51e82cac5fe/25dbc1fc60041e77-bf/s400x600/4222985734debb74b690f454619196b33c92c1b8.png)

  
  


Sweat was stinging the corners of his eyes by the time Kyungsoo was about to suggest they take a break rather than just collapse right there in the middle of the practice studio (like Chanyeol was) at the exact moment when the door to the studio opened and two cameramen and the director of “We Got Married” walked in. 

“Ah!” Baekhyun’s face split into a mischievous grin, knowing exactly who they were here for, as the group had been informed earlier that day that the crew from WGM would be in to collect Kyungsoo for the filming of the second episode, “ _BOOMBAYAH! DAHN-DA-DA-DAHN DA-DA-DAHN-DAHN-DAHH-DA-DA-DAHN! Yeah-yeah-BOOMBAYAH!_ ”

The studio then erupted into chaos as the other members leapt at the opportunity to tease their quietest member. Chanyeol and Jongdae joined Baekhyun in unison, singing the chorus at the top of their lungs, making sure to scream “Oppa!” right at Kyungsoo in high definition surround sound while Kyungsoo buried his heated face in his hands, trying to get his growing embarrassment under control. Sehun was on the ground laughing uncontrollably as Jongin and Minseok were dancing in the background, way too focused on getting the choreography just right, rather than rag on the main vocalist. Suho tried to bring some semblance of decorum to the room but realizing it was a losing battle, he simply shook his head and went to crouch next to Kyungsoo. The guardian of EXO placed a supportive arm around the younger member’s shoulders, reassuring him that the guys were just being idiots and not to take their teasing seriously. 

By the time, the “Beagle Line” got to the second round of the chorus, Kyungsoo had had quite enough of all of this nonsense and attacked the closest member to him. As it so happens to be Baekyun, who was trying to hair-flip his short locks right into Kyungsoo’s face, he got the full force of the fellow vocalist’s fist in his solar plexus. Kyungsoo sighed in satisfaction at the look of the older man doubled over on the ground, groaning in pain. He stepped over his fallen member and properly greeted the director before he was handed a new brown envelope with that day’s challenge. 

He read it to himself first before he was prompted to read it aloud. The other members listened intently for the reveal of the challenge but Kyungsoo simply tucked the thick paper back into the envelope and suggested to the crew, “Shall we get going?”

As expected, all the members started to whine and heckle at him as he walked over to retrieve his backpack and half empty water bottle. “Come on, man!” Chanyeol cajoled. “Just read the prompt out loud, like you’re supposed to!” A chorus of approval from the other members echoed across the dance studio. 

“No,” Kyungsoo said firmly as he walked towards the door, “Just watch it when it airs, like everybody else.” 

As the rest of them shook their heads in disappointment, Chanyeol turned his back to the door and scoffed over his shoulder, “He’s just wants to quickly run off to see his wife. That’s why he’s in such a ru-OOF!”

The rapper never saw the water bottle fly at him before it made contact with the back of his head. 

* * *

“Can I see it again?” 

Lisa rolled her eyes but still smiled shyly and placed her hand into Rosé’s outstretched palms. She squealed in delight and ogled at the pretty ring, to heck with her dignity! Lisa was sure it would have been like this anyway, even if the cameras weren’t there at the salon. She had arrived there with the girls in-tow straight from morning workout and was currently getting her hair done for the wedding photo shoot before the ceremony later that night. Just the thought of it made Lisa’s palms start to sweat and her heart race in her chest. 

She had regaled the first meeting with the girls in excruciating details over french fries and soju that first night, complete with squeals over the ring and reveal of who had been cast to be her “husband”. 

Lisa looked over at Jennie and then Rosé the moment she said his name. Jennie’s poker face was on a little too tightly as she poured herself another shot. Lisa tried not to read too much into it when Rosé gave her a strange look. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” the other _maknae_ asked. 

Lisa blinked, “Well, aren’t you close to his band mate?”

Rosé tilted her head questioningly, “Who? Chanyeol?” She gave a cackle, “What are you implying? We did one collaboration together, nearly 5 years ago, and he was nothing but polite and professional.”

Jisoo started to laugh, “Why so defensive? She’s just asking if you were close because of the collab.”

“Um, excuse you! You seem to be leaving out the crucial detail that there were two other artists there too! It wasn’t _just_ Park Chanyeol and myself.” Rosé rebutted. 

“You mean, no matter how much you had wished it was?” Lisa said cheekily, with a suggestive wag of her eyebrows. 

The action garnered her a Rilakkuma pillow to the face. 

“Ow! I was just joking.” Lisa muttered in a cute baby voice, rubbing her offended nose. 

“So, what was he like?” Jennie asked as she finished her shot in one go. “Was he ‘ _award-winning-actor_ ’-like?”

“I’m not sure what means but… hmm…” Lisa chewed thoughtfully on a limp french fry before saying, “He’s quiet… but also rather easy-going. I can tell that he’s very kind… a bit… reserved… and very respectful. He opened every door for me and walked on the street side when we were going to the jewelry shop.”

The girls were the perfect audience members, “ _aww_ ”-ing and “ _yah_ ”-ing at all the right moments. It made her less nervous when the episode actually aired that Saturday night and they watched it together over fried chicken. 

They were all commenting how good Lisa and Kyungsoo looked together when the camera shot them walking side by side. It was right when she was mentally scolding herself for not paying attention to him that he had simultaneously asked whether she was listening. Experiencing that moment again from another perspective felt odd, like an out of body experience. The woman on the TV screen that had Lisa’s face was laughing in a charming manner, even grabbing onto his arm while she begged him to repeat himself. Lisa didn’t even remember doing that. She had been so nervous trying not to offend him, she completely went into “adorable defense mode”! 

She watched as Kyungsoo became flustered and couldn’t help it when her heart fluttered at the bashful look on his face. 

“Oh my gosh!” Rosé exclaimed in English, “He’s adorable! And you were there _in person_? How are your retinas even functioning from all that cute?” 

The other two girls chimed in agreement, teasing her mercilessly when she started to cover her face in embarrassment. 

“Don’t look now, but it seems a celebrity has entered the building.” Jisoo’s stage whisper brought Lisa back to the present and she couldn’t help but look in her periphery at the man who was walking in the door of the salon. 

His cap was low on his face so she couldn’t see his eyes but she could have picked his lips out of a line-up. Plump and perfectly shaped, she watched in rapture as his tongue peeked out to wet those lips and she couldn’t help but mirror the action. 

Oh, how was she supposed to make it through this day with him looking like that! 

The other members of Blackpink cheered and welcomed him warmly, bowing in respect and introducing themselves one at a time. 

“Good afternoon,” Kyungsoo greeted the other members, “It’s nice to formally meet you all.”

Jisoo touched his arm in compassion as she said, “ _Oppa_ , as the oldest member, I feel the need to apologize on behalf of Blackpink for our sister’s spaztic tendencies.”

“ _UNNIE_!” Lisa protested with a pout from the makeup chair. 

Ignoring her whining, Jennie nodded, “She’s is a spaztic princess, but she’s our spaztic princess.” She then stepped into his personal space and pointed a finger at him, his eyes crossed trying to follow it’s tip. “So please continue to look after her.” Her blessing seemed to be laced with an undertone of a threat and they watched as a soft smile stretched across his handsome features. 

“There is no need for apologies,” Kyungsoo insisted. He looked up at Lisa then, their eyes locked as he continued just loud enough for her to hear, “I like her just the way she is.”

“Oooohhh!” The girls’ approval rang across the salon, Jisoo even turned around and gave a thumbs up at Lisa. The youngest member acknowledged the praise with a smug look, wagging her eyebrows as though she had any decision in the matter. 

Kyungsoo strode up to Lisa’s makeup chair and greeted her properly. “Good afternoon, _princess_.”

Her shoulders shook slightly from her repressed giggles, as she was getting her lip color applied at the moment. She greeted him in return with a muffled “ _an nyeong_ ” while cutely waving both of her hands. 

He returned her double handed wave before asking the dreaded question. “How are you feeling?”

Lisa began to nervously laugh and held up her hand, which was shaking slightly. Kyungsoo chuckled and took her hand in both of his. “Why are you so nervous?”

“Aren’t you? I would take a debut stage 100x over this any day!” Lisa whined, doing everything in her power to focus on her words rather than the soothing way his thumb was rubbing light circles into the top of her hand. His hands were warm and she scowled her heart as it twinged at how right this felt. As if them touching each other came second nature to the both of them. 

“Do you know if they’ll be served drinks at this thing?” Lisa asked abruptly. He burst out laughing, the sound rumbling from deep in his chest as she turned to the film crew asking if there will be _soju_ served at the ceremony. “It’s a party right? There should be drinks!” she insisted.

Kyungsoo shook his head and patted her hand supportively, “Don’t worry. I’ll be right there beside you.” 

“Says the man in the same sinking boat as me.” Lisa muttered dejectedly, retreating her hand back into her lap.

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened slightly. “You don’t know if this boat is going to sink. We haven’t even left the dock yet!”

It was Lisa’s turn to laugh and this time she caught herself grabbing his arm. He laid his hand atop hers as he reassured her that it was going to be ‘just fine’ before he leaned in. She felt her breath catch as he whispered, “I’ll run to the store and pick up some champagne for us.” 

Lisa truly felt bad for her makeup artist since it was taking twice as long to do her makeup - she couldn’t help it though. She pushed him away to cover her growing blush, blaming Kyungsoo for making her laugh so much and ordered for him to go get prepped for his hair and makeup

* * *

Even though Kyungsoo got there after Lisa, he finished hair, makeup, and “costume” before her and was sitting patiently in the waiting area. He was so sure that it would be uncomfortable meeting up again after last week’s episode aired. Kyungsoo had cringed watching himself awkwardly navigate through the episode while she made the whole affair look so effortless. He told himself that this time around, he would relax more and give himself over to the role. It would be just like any other acting job and, if in the process, he got the opportunity to work with a beautiful and sweet woman in the process, well then it’ll be like icing on a cake. 

So far, it wasn’t bad at all. He had managed to carry a short conversation, even made her laugh and found an excuse to hold her hand (twice!). That was huge for him. He credited it to the fact that she had made it feel as though he wasn’t pressured to be anything but himself. And though most of the time, he was a nervous wreck of a man, Kyungsoo blocked out every anxious thought in his head and allowed himself the skinship he knew will bring in viewers. 

He was sure she could hear his heart beating wildly in his chest especially when he leaned in to whisper in her ear. He wanted to act as natural as possible - as though he was with his group members. But the moment he breathed in that faint fresh strawberry scent, his heart began pounding against his ribs. Kyungsoo was glad when she pushed him away - it gave him the opportunity to save himself from doing something reprehensible… like lean in to nuzzle behind her ear, just to see if she would smell just as good up close. 

A squeal brought him out of his revelry. Kyungsoo stood up as the other girls walked out excitedly towards him. “Wow! You look so handsome!” 

He shyly smiled and waved off their compliments. “Is she coming out right now too?”

Jennie wore a dangerous smirk. “Oh! Someone is anxious to see the blushing bride!”

“Wait! Have you seen the dress she’s going to be wearing?” Rosé asked. 

Kyungsoo shook his head which prompted a chorus of squeals. 

“She looks _soooo_ pretty!” Rosé dreamily sighed.

Jisoo nodded, “You are going to be shocked.”

“She looks like an _actual_ modern day princess!” Rosé exclaimed. Jennie and Jisoo nodded vigorously in agreement. 

“ _Unnie_ ~ Don’t get his expectations hyped up over nothing!” protested the woman in question, her voice filtering out from behind the curtain. Kyungsoo thought he might have caught a slight tremble in her voice and made a mental note to work harder at making sure she felt comfortable with him. 

The moment the plush velvet fabric was pulled back, all thoughts completely flew out of Kyungsoo’s mind as he stood there forgetting how to breathe. 

He would never consider himself a man of fashion but he could not have imagined a more fitting dress for her. She walked out like an ethereal goddess, the pearl white silk hugging her lithe form like a glove, designed so it would accentuate her figure in a tempting silhouette. The opaque rhinestones and milky grey crystals in the intricate patterns along her waist sparkled and winked with every sway of her hips as she strutted out of the changing room. Her look was even complete with a simple crystal tiara, tiny rose gold leaves woven into the metal headband atop her expertly curled hair. She was truly a sight to behold. 

Lisa stopped just in front of him and took him in with a slight tinge of a blush on her perfectly made up cheeks. She must have been wearing heels because he noticed that she was the same height as him. He thanked the heavens that the rest of EXO weren’t going to be there at the ceremony or else he would never hear the end of it. 

“ _Yah, oppa_! You’re gonna catch flies if your mouth stays open any longer!” Jisoo teased. 

Kyungsoo burst out in an embarrassed laugh, covering his heated face as the rest of the girls giggled uncontrollably. Once he got his nerves under control, Kyungsoo boldly met Lisa’s gaze and said the first thing that came into his mind, “You’re right, _noona_ , she does look like a princess.”

Lisa look away and smiled shyly. Kyungsoo leaned in then, his heart stuttering once again as his senses tingled at the scent of her sweet perfume. “And just for the record, my expectations were far from met.”

She looked up at him then and watched as he smiled coyly, “They were exceeded - in every sense of the word.

* * *

Soon after, the pair were rushed off to the site where they were going to take the “wedding photos” and, even as they were saying their goodbyes, Lisa had hoped that the rest of the girls would accompany them to the photo shoot. The moment she entered the large SUV and was once again alone with Kyungsoo, she felt her nerves return with a vengeance. The drive to the site wasn’t long but it felt like a lifetime as they sat there silently, both of them too nervous to actually make small talk. 

Finally remembering the advice one of her seniors at YG had said about needing to talk a lot on variety shows, she figured this was not the greatest content for the viewers to have her just nervously sit there so she decided to once again swallow her nerves and say something to fill the void. 

“You look really nice too, by the way,” she offered. Kyungsoo turned to her with his large, round eyes and blinked at her sudden proclamation. She tucked a stray curl behind her ear, taking extra care to not loosen the bobby pins that held down her headband in place, before continuing, “I didn’t get the opportunity to say that you look very nice as well.”

His eyes soften. “I could be wearing a hot pink suit made from rice sacks and yellow rain boots and no one would notice me.”

Lisa snorted at that image and then offered, “I’m not sure hot pink is really your color. I would think a… mint green suit with like a bright orange tie and orange loafers would be better.”

“Mm. And a top hat that lights up.” He added casually.

“Oh! And one of those obnoxiously big diamond encrusted necklaces with a huge dollar sign on it.” 

“And a cane made of gold and jade.” 

They were both still laughing at the ridiculousness of the ensemble they had conjured up for him when the SUV pulled into a visitor parking spot and the side door opened. Kyungsoo climbed out of vehicle first and turned around to offer his hand to her. She took it graciously and carefully stepped down, her heels hitting the pavement with two small clicks.

As she stood up straight, Lisa was very conscious of the fact that he had yet to let go of her hand. Kyungsoo must have noticed her look down to where their hands were still linked and simply said, “The asphalt in this parking lot is a bit uneven. I just want to make sure you make it there in one piece.”

She bit the inside of her cheek to make sure she wouldn’t swoon out loud at how gentlemanly he was acting when her heart began to squeeze uncomfortably. 

‘ _Fool. Have you forgotten that this isn’t real? Get yourself together._ ’ Lisa thought bitterly before she quickly shook her head and said nonchalantly to him, “I wasn’t complaining,” and gave his hand a squeeze. 

He smiled, satisfied with her answer before he turned away with a nod. “Good. Let’s get this show on the road.”

They walked hand in hand for a few minutes, the site was some kind of park with cobblestone pathways, not ideal for strolling in heels, but Kyungsoo made sure she didn’t lose her balance even once. Eventually, they came to a nicely groomed wall completely made of deep green ivy from top to bottom. They were directed to stand in front of the wall of greenery and Lisa looked down nervously at the wood chips that filled the entire area in front of the wall. She wished there were sandals for her to wear because she was sure the fancy little heels were going to sink into the ground with every step she took. 

As if sensing her disquiet, Kyungsoo squeezed her hand to get her attention. When she finally looked up at him, his eyes were filled with quiet determination. “We’ll take it slowly. Just lean on me, okay?”

Lisa was sure her heart could only take so much more of this type of abuse before it simply gave up in protest. How did he always know what she was thinking? How could he make it look so easy to be so considerate? She decided that it would be safer not to dwell on that thought for too long as she simply nodded and gave a shaky “okay” as they took their first step towards the ivy-covered wall. 

She would take a step and then pause, trying to get her balance as Kyungsoo patiently stood by her, never complaining, even when she gripped his arm like a vice. He softly muttered words of encouragement as they approached the wall and Lisa felt herself become hypnotized by the deep timbre of his voice that they ended up arriving at their destination before she even noticed. 

They both let out a giggle of relief as they positioned themselves for the photo shoot. Lisa was handed a bouquet of white peonies and grey berries to hold. She brought them to her nose and was disappointed that they smelled mostly of dust and plastic as they were silk flowers but the craftsmanship on the details were so intricate, she could have sworn they were real.

She then brought the bouquet up for Kyungsoo to smell and his blank expression when he sniffed it made her chuckle. Lisa could see the gears whirling in his head and burst out into an all out laugh when he pulled the bouquet back for another sniff. 

“They aren’t real, right? Or is that how this flower normally smells like?” Kyungsoo asked just to make sure he wasn’t mistaken and she shook her head, confirming that he had not been. 

“ _Aish_ …” he softly scoffed under his breath before he very playfully poked her side. She yelped in surprise and nearly tipped over on the uneven ground. Kyungsoo’s arm shot out and pulled her flush against him, taking most her weight so she wouldn’t fall. They both began to laugh nervously, as they stiffly tried to get their balance back. 

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered breathlessly between chuckles, “I shouldn’t have done that. Are you okay?”

His voice came out even but Lisa could tell that he must have been nervous too. Even under the three piece suit he was wearing, she could feel his heart thump wildly under her palm that had landed on his chest. It made her feel better knowing that she wasn’t the only one affected by all of this. 

“I’m fine now… just keep your fingers to yourself, mister.” she said cheekily. 

Kyungsoo chuckled, “Deal,” and she thought the sound was slowly becoming her new favorite thing to listen to. 


End file.
